Vote early, vote often

Our chums over at Spinetingler magazine are having a pre-election vote to decide on assorted categories of crime writer awards. We'll be rooting for Russel D McLean in the rising stars category, since we publish him. One of the most interesting categories is for jackets. No, not tweed ones (though I'd vote for that).

http://www.spinetinglermag.com/2010/03/31/2010-spinetingler-award-nominees-and-poll/

New this month at Five Leaves

Swimmer in the Secret Sea by William Kotzwinkle (yes, the bloke from ET) was a book I first read back when dinosaurs roamed the earth. It is a novella on stillbirth. The book stuck in my head for decades, partly because it was so well written, partly because of the skillful way it dealt with difficult subject matter. I'm pleased now to make it again available, in a joint edition with the US publisher David Godine.
40 Years in the Wilderness: inside Israel's West Bank settlements could not be more timely, and, thanks to the wonders of digital printing, up to date. Josh Berthoud Freedman and Seth Freedman travelled through the settlements interviewing people ranging from gun-toting fundamentalists through to those Israeli's simply trying to find a cheap place to live. The book includes discussion of the current settlement activity at Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan in Jerusalem as well as those on the West Bank. Both books are now available mail order via www.inpressbooks.co.uk or can be ordered from bookshops

It's good news week at the big W

Except it will soon be a small w. Waterstone's has announced a rebranding programme, moving to lower case "w" as the logo. The will be "rolling out a new brand", having announced that "It's important that we re-engage with our customers in a much more impactful way", getting away from the "stifling homogeneity" of the recent past. Never mind the dreadful construction "much more impactful way", this is good news for all readers, most publishers, Waterstone's (or is that now to be waterstone's?) staff, and people who write real books.
Provided budget follows promise, it looks like a return to more autonomous branches, which can better reflect the book buying public locally. There are nice words being said about working with local publishers and local writers and a significant reduction in floor space devoted to price promotions. I assume that with the closure of Borders there is less need for price promotion. But even the announcement that branches can put up their own best-sellers list indicates a return to trusting branch staff who have in the past had to cope with merciless centralisation and big redundancies.
A big independent in every town and city would be great, but that is not going to happen, so the health of the Waterstone's chain is important. Some have argued that the business model of Borders/Waterstone's is over. Maybe, but these changes will give the chain a fighting chance to survive. And make it nicer to work there.

Evelyn Gibbs

After Laura Knight, Evelyn Gibbs was probably Nottinghamshire second most important woman artist. She was a member of the left-wing Artists' International Association, the Women's International Art Club, founded the Midland Group in Nottingham and was a well known war artist. Her long-hidden murals at St Martin of Tours in Bilborough are due to be renovated and made public again.
Pauline Lucas has been the main person keeping Gibbs' work alive, through her Five Leaves' biography, talks and occasional exhibitions.

The lit

The day after States of Independence it was off to Edinburgh where the Edinburgh Jewish Literary Society ("the lit", http://www.ejls.org/) had an evening devoted to Five Leaves' The Sea of Azov. Anne Joseph, the editor, was there (eagerly looking forward to her 7.00am flight back to London the next day), as was Ellen Galford, a local contributor. Ellen is the author of one of the best-titled books ever, The Dyke and the Dybbuk. Together with fellow "lit" members Elaine Samuel and Leslie Danziger Ellen read chunks of The Sea of Azov as a backdrop to a discussion on Jewish short stories internationally.

"The lit" has been going since 1888, naturally with ups and downs, but it has always been the place for debate, argument and a home for the secularists as well as those of religious bent. A number of the current members are Yiddishists, a number are also academics from the University - that being something of a tradition. This session was the last of the year-long season but any Jews (or those interested in Jewish culture) in that part of the world might want to make sure they get next year's programme. There's a history too, published in its centenary year The Lit. at Home, available from bookshops using 0 902528 19 X as a reference.

Another one bites the dust

States of Independence in Leicester on Saturday - see blogs passim - was a big success. Thanks to all the stall holders, speakers, table carriers and fellow organisers for making it so, especially the Creative Writing Team at De Montfort University. There have been a number of blog entries about it, but none more likely to give me a big head than the following: http://siobhanlogan.blogspot.com/2010/03/states-of-independence.html. I'm usually a modest bloke with a lot to be modest about but on this rare occasion I'll also immodestly add a photo of me in action. The bloke with his eyes beginning to glaze over is Stephen Hill, a writer from Lowdham.

More seriously, the event was a success, with getting on for 400 attending, many for several hours. Most of the 40 stall holders I have spoken to did well in sales, in contacts, in future arrangements and many of the talks and readings were packed. 70-80% of those attending were probably from Leicestershire, but we do know of people attending from Newham, Manchester, Birmingham all various places in the East Midlands.

Up all night

Busy at 4.35am on the night of Sunday 21st March? Thought not. In that case why not listen to Up All Night on Radio 5 with Jenny Swann and Andy Croft reading from The Night Shift. For their sake I am glad to say it is a pre-recorded programme, though some might say that is being a bit pathetic. People should suffer for their art. Those with other commitments at that time can find the programme via I player for seven days afterwards.